Changing Job under Tier 2 ICT - Long Term Staff

[parth2014]

Hi ,

I am an Indian National currently working in UK on Tier -2 ICT Long Term Staff.My visa was applied last year and is valid till this year end. I have been in UK for more than a year now. I planning to change my job and have few doubts which I believe will be clarified here.

1: Is it possible to change job/change sponsor when working on Tier-2 ICT Long Term Staff ?
2: I am looking for a Job change within the same visa category - Tier 2 ICT. I know its not possible to change from Tier -2 ICT to TIer-2 general.
3:Is this process smooth and how much time generally it takes to get the new visa applied?
4: Will I have to go back to India for getting the new Visa stamped or can this be done while staying in UK?
5:Also I wanted to know, what is the difference between Tier-2 ICT Long term staff and Tier-2 Established staff?

Any guidance will be really helpful. Apologies if the questions are duplicate but by reading different threads I am unable to get a concrete answer.

Thanks,
Parth

[manci]

1-4
read this post: http://www.immigrationboards.com/uk-tie ... it=cooling
5.
6 April 2010 - 5 April 2011 established staff
from 6 April 2011 long term staff

[parth2014]

Hi Manci,

Thanks for quick response. Could you please let me know if there is anyway by which I can change job while staying in UK on Tier 2 ICT long term visa which was applied in year 2013.

Regards,
Parth

[manci]

You can extend your present T2 ICT LTS leave up to 5 years but you cannot switch to T2G. Also, to get another T2 ICT visa with a different sponsor your would have to be employed by them abroad for at least 1 year

[parth2014]

Hi Manci,

Thanks again for the quick response . Is it not possible to just get the COS(certificate of sponsorship) changed to the new employer while staying in UK itself?

Regards,
Parth

[manci]

no

[parth2014]

Thanks Manci,

You have been really helpful.


Regards,
Parth

[rajsin]

Don’t get me wrong mate but if I were you I would have researched such questions before landing in the UK rather than after living here for a year but again you are not too late. Sadly not many individuals who are sent overseas from India take an effort to read through the visa specifics before travel due to whatsoever reasons.

Since you are on T2ICT after April 2011 you cannot change employers within the UK, however you can stay with the same employer for up to 5 years after which you have to go to your home country and serve a 12 month cooling off period before re entering again in T2G or T2ICT visa categories.

Said that, you are still allowed to switch to a T4 (student visa) or a T2 dependent visa within the UK.